Collection of School Board Letters
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CLARENCE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION BOARD OF EDUCATION Geoffrey M. Hicks, Ed.D. Michael Fuchs Superintendent of Schools President MaryEllen Colling Matthew Stock Director of Special Education Vice President Robert Michel Tricia Andrews Director of Personnel James Boglioli Richard J. Mancuso Dennis Priore Business Official Kristin Overholt Dawn Snyder Asst. Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Mary Beth Sweeney December 2, 2019 The Honorable Michael Ranzenhofer New York State Senate 188 State Street, Room 609 Legislative Office Building Albany, NY 12247 Dear Senator Ranzenhofer, I am writing to ask that you reject S298B (Hoylman) that would mandate immunizing all children born after January 1, 2009, for the human papillomavirus (HPV). The proposed legislation is currently in committee. The legislation is ill-conceived and if passed into law, would have a detrimental effect on many families in the Clarence Central School District. The District has received communication from a number of parents who are vehemently opposed to mandatory immunization of HPV. HPV is spread by intimate sexual contact and therefore is not an epidemic infectious disease among school-aged children. Vaccines previously mandated for universal use are those which protect the public's health against agents easily communicated, responsible for epidemics, or causing significant morbidity or mortality among those passively exposed to the illness. HPV is not an agent in that category. Further, the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics (January, 2007) reasons that the HPV vaccine does not meet the high threshold for mandating. According to the American Medical Association: “Most infections are harmless, and screening methods (Pap smear and HPV testing) are available to identify individuals who are at risk of cervical cancer, which occurs 10 to 20 years following initial infection. Treatment of precursor lesions by minor surgical procedures is completely effective in preventing cervical cancer. Thus, there is no compelling public health rationale for mandating HPV vaccine in school-aged children.” The proposed legislation adds HPV to the current list of mandated immunizations for school-aged children, and decrees that schools not permit any child to be admitted or to attend school without proof of the HPV vaccination. The only options available for parents are to home school their children or move to a state without mandated immunizations. Mandating the vaccine for school-aged children and denying children admission to school if they don’t comply seems particularly onerous, especially for a disease that is not communicable in the classroom and/or school environment. I urge you not to dismiss the concerns of those worried about both the rationale for mandating HPV vaccinations and the serious governmental overreach that interferes with parental ability to make informed medical choices for their children. Please use your influence to reject S298B. Sincerely, Geoffrey M. Hicks, Ed.D. Superintendent 9625 MAIN STREET • CLARENCE, NEW YORK 14031-2083 • (716) 407-9100 • FAX (716) 407-9126 • www.ClarenCesChools.org CLARENCE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION BOARD OF EDUCATION Geoffrey M. Hicks, Ed.D. Michael Fuchs Superintendent of Schools President MaryEllen Colling Matthew Stock Director of Special Education Vice President Robert Michel Tricia Andrews Director of Personnel James Boglioli Richard J. Mancuso Dennis Priore Business Official Kristin Overholt Dawn Snyder Asst. Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction Mary Beth Sweeney December 2, 2019 The Honorable Michael Norris New York State Assembly 8180 Main Street Williamsville, NY 14221 Dear Assemblyman Norris, I am writing to ask that you reject A2912 (Paulin) that would mandate immunizing all children born after January 1, 2009, for the human papillomavirus (HPV). The proposed legislation is currently in committee. The legislation is ill-conceived and if passed into law, would have a detrimental effect on many families in the Clarence Central School District. The District has received communication from a number of parents who are vehemently opposed to mandatory immunization of HPV. HPV is spread by intimate sexual contact and therefore is not an epidemic infectious disease among school-aged children. Vaccines previously mandated for universal use are those which protect the public's health against agents easily communicated, responsible for epidemics, or causing significant morbidity or mortality among those passively exposed to the illness. HPV is not an agent in that category. Further, the American Medical Association Journal of Ethics (January, 2007) reasons that the HPV vaccine does not meet the high threshold for mandating. According to the American Medical Association: “Most infections are harmless, and screening methods (Pap smear and HPV testing) are available to identify individuals who are at risk of cervical cancer, which occurs 10 to 20 years following initial infection. Treatment of precursor lesions by minor surgical procedures is completely effective in preventing cervical cancer. Thus, there is no compelling public health rationale for mandating HPV vaccine in school-aged children.” The proposed legislation adds HPV to the current list of mandated immunizations for school-aged children, and decrees that schools not permit any child to be admitted or to attend school without proof of the HPV vaccination. The only options available for parents are to home school their children or move to a state without mandated immunizations. Mandating the vaccine for school-aged children and denying children admission to school if they don’t comply seems particularly onerous, especially for a disease that is not communicable in the classroom and/or school environment. I urge you not to dismiss the concerns of those worried about both the rationale for mandating HPV vaccinations and the serious governmental overreach that interferes with parental ability to make informed medical choices for their children. Please use your influence to reject A2912. Sincerely, Geoffrey M. Hicks, Ed.D. Superintendent 9625 MAIN STREET • CLARENCE, NEW YORK 14031-2083 • (716) 407-9100 • FAX (716) 407-9126 • www.ClarenCesChools.org FRANKLIN SQUARE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT DISTRICT OFFICES: Washington Street School 7 60 Was hington S treet, F ranklin S quare, N Y 11010 -3898 F S FAX: (516) 505-6972 Board of Education FOUNDATION (516M) 5r0. 5S-t6e9p7h5en Toto, f or SUCCESS President Mrs. Helen Hoffman, Vice President Mr. Louis Curcio Mr. William Leder Mr. Joseph Lewinger December 5, 2019 Dear Governor Cuomo and Elected Officials: On behalf of the Franklin Square Union Free School District, we are wring to strongly oppose an amendment to Secon 2164 of the public health law that is being proposed by the New York State which would require an addional immunizaon against the human papillomavirus (HPV). We appreciate the role that our elected officials play in keeping the public safe from communicable diseases, especially in open spaces including our schools. The HPV virus, unlike other illnesses such as measles, mumps, rubella, and pertussis, does not spread easily through the air or lack of personal hygiene. While these viruses can be passed easily from child to child, adult to child or child to adult, the risk of HPV transmission is different. In fact, according to the CDC, HPV is the most common sexually transmied infecon which is spread through sexual intercourse. While there have been other cases of transmission, the CDC does not reference them on their HPV page as they are less common. It is also important to note that Gardasil 9, the vaccine for HPV, does not protect against all types of HPV and there are many known side effects that have caused physicians to recommend against giving this vaccine. Parents should be provided with informaon and be allowed to make an informed decision regarding whether or not to have their children vaccinated against HPV. This disease is not spread in school and there is no public health risk at this me. The Board of Educaon of Franklin Square Union Free School District would, therefore, urge you to allow parents to determine whether or not their children receive this vaccine. As our elected officials we ask you to vote against this bill and not add this new requirement for students in the state to be vaccinated against HPV in order to aend public schools. Sincerely, Stephen Toto, President Helen Hofflman, Vice President Louis Curcio, Trustee William Leder, Trustee Joseph Lewinger, Trustee MIDDLE COUNTRY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT 8 43RD STREET • CENTEREACH, NY 11720 631-285-8005 • 631-738-2719 (fax) • www.mccsd.net Roberta A. Gerold, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools Francine McMahon, Deputy Superintendent for Instruction Herbert B. Chessler, Assistant Superintendent for Business James G. Donovan, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources December 12, 2019 Dear Governor Cuomo and State Lawmakers, As elected officials in the Middle Country Central School District we, along with our Superintendent, are writing today in opposition of the proposed amendment to Section 2164 of the public health law, which would require that all children receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine as part of the state’s mandated school immunization program. While we recognize that changes in the health law are often necessary in order to protect the public at large against health crises or to mitigate exposure to a communicable disease in open spaces, we are clinically opposed to adding the HPV